This invention pertains to the art of bearings and, more particularly, to roller type bearings.
The invention is particularly applicable to method and apparatus for retaining rollers in a bearing cage and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may be adapted for use in other applications and environments.
Typical roller bearings include a pair of coaxially disposed annular bearing races, i.e., inner and outer races, having a bearing cage interposed therebetween. The bearing cage includes a plurality of roller receiving pockets at spaced intervals circumferentially therearound with the pockets, in turn, being spaced apart from each by bearing cage webs. The bearing cage functions to retain the rollers in a spaced relation to each other and to prevent roller skewing or misalignment. In most roller bearing constructions, means are also provided for retaining the individual rollers in their associated or respective roller receiving pockets in the bearing cage.
One type of retaining means previously employed involved use of lug members integral with the bearing cage webs. These lugs were notched longitudinally of the webs, i.e., laterally of the cage, and then formed to overlie portions of the adjacent roller receiving pockets in a retaining relationship relative to the rollers. While such arrangements have proved generally satisfactory for roller retaining purposes, they have necessarily involved manufacturing steps which are more expensive and time consuming to perform than is considered desirable. Such steps include broaching and grinding which require sophisticated and expensive processing machinery. Manufacturing steps of the foregoing type thus added to the overall bearing costs.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new method and apparatus for forming roller retainers in a bearing cage which would overcome the foregoing difficulties. The subject invention is considered to meet these needs and provide method and apparatus which are simple in design, economical to utilize, versatile for accommodating use in different types of roller bearing designs, and readily adapted to use in many varied applications and/or environments.